We have done everything but it’s not happening, says Real Madrid’s Marcelo after Celta Vigo draw

Real Madrid players feel like their La Liga title hopes are “sinking” into a black hole after they let a 2-1 lead against Celta Vigo slip through their fingers in the final eight minutes, leaving them 16 points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

Real were leading with eight minutes to go against Celta after Gareth Bale’s quick-fire double had overturned Daniel Wass’s opening strike.

But Maxi Gomez’s headed goal in the 82nd minute ensured the match finished in a 2-2 draw and piled more pain on Zinedine Zidane’s side, who had lost 3-0 to arch rivals and runaway leaders Barca in their last Liga outing.

After the match at Balaídos between Celta de Vigo and Real Madrid, Marcelo spoke to the media and analysed what had happened on the pitch: “It’s not a lack of attitude, we started the game running and fighting hard, but football is like that.

We’re doing what we can to get ahead, trying to play good football and score goals, but it doesn’t always come off. We have to keep working to get out of this position that we don’t like being in.

It’s difficult because the more matches you draw or lose the pressure increases but you have to work, run, fight and stand up and be counted. To improve you have to play the next game and give your all to win”.

“Real Madrid are not used to being in the position where we are. If we want to win the Champions League, the Copa del Rey and the league we have to play well in every match. We have to go out on to the pitch motivated, it’s difficult but we will give everything to win”.

Real coach Zidane usually leaps to the defence of his players after negative results but he was not in a forgiving mood on Sunday.

“The main thing we lacked today was we didn’t play the second half,” said the Frenchman, who last season guided Real to their first Liga and European Cup double since 1958.

“We played very well in the first 45 minutes but not in the second half and a game lasts 90 minutes.”

Zidane also refused to comment on whether or not his side were out of the title race.

“We’re not going to talk about the league every weekend. If we keep losing points we’re not going to get there. We have to focus on each game now and try to win them,” he said.